ReviewTobacco induced diseases2025
The impact of gamification on smoking cessation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in Tobacco induced diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Practical applications of gamification in patient-centered outcomes research and digital health, and its acceptance in clinical trials.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Psychological and behavioral profiles of combustible vs. e-cigarette users: a narrative review of the implications for tailored non-pharmacological cessation interventions.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe rise of mobile health (mHealth) has led to increased adoption of mobile apps for smoking cessation. The integration of gamification has been found to be positively associated with higher app engagement, smokers' self-efficacy and motivation to quit. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify and assess the game elements incorporated into smoking cessation applications and evaluate the effectiveness of gamified interventions on smoking cessation outcomes.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICRTP) and ClinicalTrials.gov databases from inception to November 2024. Eligible studies included interventional trials comparing gamification-based smoking cessation strategies with non-gamified control groups. Two independent reviewers performed study screening, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. Outcomes were narratively synthesized, and comparable studies were pooled based on follow-up time and abstinence duration. A random-effects meta-analysis assessed smoking abstinence using relative risk (RR) as the effect measure. Heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran's Q and I
resultsFifteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 5075 participants met the inclusion criteria. Key gamification elements included competition, milestone recognition, storytelling, and rewards. The pooled meta-analysis demonstrated a significant impact of gamified interventions on smoking abstinence. The strongest effects were observed within the first six months of intervention (RR=1.91; 95% CI: 1.47-2.47, p<0.001). Long-term effects remained significant beyond six months (RR=1.37; 95% CI: 1.05-1.79, p=0.02). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these findings.
conclusionsGamification-based interventions significantly improve smoking cessation outcomes, particularly in the short-term. However, the diminishing effects over time highlight the importance of long-term engagement. While these findings are promising, limitations such as heterogeneity in follow-up periods, reliance on some self-reported outcomes, and the inability to isolate specific gamification components may affect the generalizability of results. Leveraging gamification's potential can still transform smoking cessation efforts, offering scalable and engaging solutions for lasting behavioral change.
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